Posted on 04/20/2023 6:37:49 PM PDT by CheshireTheCat
Sarah’s was to be Bristol‘s final public hanging on the flat roof of the gatehouse of New Gaol in Cumberland Road. She was a house maid to sixty one year old Miss Elizabeth Jefferies, who according to Sarah, did not treat her well and had locked her in the kitchen all night among other perceived abuses. There was almost certain to be conflict between a cranky, elderly spinster and a rebellious young girl and this culminated in Sarah bludgeoning Miss Jefferies to death with a large stone as she slept, on the night of Sunday the 4th of March 1849. Sarah had also killed Miss Jefferies’ dog and thrown its body into the lavatory. She left the house, but not without helping herself to some of her mistresses’ jewellery. Miss Jefferies’ brother was alerted to a possible problem by a neighbour who noticed that the window shutters were still closed and called the local constable to help him investigate. When they forced entry they made the gruesome discoveries. Suspicion immediately fell upon Sarah and she was arrested the next day at her mother’s house in Pensford. Initially she told the police that another girl had committed the killings and that she had only been involved with ransacking the house....
(Excerpt) Read more at executedtoday.com ...
Jewelry found in a couch two weeks later.
Short drop hanging .... yeeesh!
“...quivering for a few moments before becoming still....”
A “few moments”? I doubt it seriously.
Yup
Execution of Sarah Harriet Thomas
at Bristol.
This wretched criminal underwent the sentence of
the law, for the murder of her mistress, on Fri-
day. The scaffold was erected over the great
gates of the gaol. Between twelve and one o’clock
in the morning she partook of a mutton chop;
she afterwards laid down. The chaplain arrived
at seven o’clock, and she seemed more attentive
than before to her religious duties. Half an hour
previous to the execution the governor of the gaol,
Mr. Gardiner, announced to her the painful duty
which he had to perform, and said he hoped she
would accompany him to the place of execution
quietly. She stamped with her foot several times
and said she would not go. She seemed almost
frantic, and at the time appointed, Mr. Gardiner
was compelled to procure the assistance of six or
seven men, who led her into the press-yard. She
resisted all the time. In the press-room, at the
suggestion of Dr. Sweet, the chaplain, she asked
the governor to give her love to her father. After
having been pinioned she walked without assis-
tance as far as the drop, but afterwards she was
obliged to be led up the ladder by two of the
turnkeys. She struggled violently, and shrieked
in a dreadful manner. When Calcraft, the execu-
tioner, put the rope round her neck, she exclaimed
“ The Lord have mercy upon me! I hope my
mother and none of my family are present.” Im-
mediately afterwards the bolt was withdrawn, and
she was launched into eternity.
The following is the confession of the cir-
cumstances of the murder, signed by her own
hand : —
“ Two days before the murder was committed.
Miss Jeffries.called me up to her bed-room and
attempted to strike me. She also locked me in
the kitchen during the whole of that night. At
five o’clock in the morning she unbolted the door
and told me to make a fire in her room. I thought
then to have struck her, but did not do so. On
the following night I slept in her room, but did
not contemplate murdering her till between five
and six in the morning, when I got up, went
down stairs, and returned with stone, with which
while Miss Jeffries was asleep, I struck her on
the head three times. Between the second and
third blow she made some sort of a noise, and
the last words I heard her say were, “ Christ
God!” I then dressed myself, robbed the house,
flung the dog down the privy, locked up the house
and went home. I committed the murder and
robbed the house with my own hands ; no one
else had anything whatever to do with it ; neither
did I mention having done so to any person. I
regret exceedingly having committed so horrid a
crime, and I pray to the Almighty God for for-
giveness. I never should have committed so
dreadful a crime had Miss Jeffries conduct been
less provoking. After Miss Jeffries had died I
remained in the room for more than an hour. I
then went home, and did not return until about
nine o’clock in the evening, when I went for my
two boxes, but did not go into mistress’s room.
On leaving the house I saw a strange man stand-
ing opposite, who carried my boxes as far as the
Infirmary, for which I gave 9d. I then took a
fly and went home.”
Had it not been for the arrangements made by
the authorities it is probable that fearful accidents
would have happened amongst the crowd of spec-
tators. Strong barriers were placed in front of
the gaol and at each side, so as to prevent the
people from being driven towards the river.
“Let them twist in the wind.”
So sad, but appropriate for the crime.
No plea bargaining, no parole and no mercy!!!!
Do I have ir right, “Guv?”*
* An English expression for, “Boss.”
With an an 18 inch drop, probably about 2 - 3 minutes before she passed out from asphyxiation.
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